The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-12
COMMENTARY BY REV. WIN. NEWTON, D. I

&sO1Ils 4~s
COMMENTARY BY REV. WIN. NEWTON, D. D.
vi Are we to understand that this OK
preston as to the serpent's suhtlety, applies
to the whole racer Bp Horsely, in his "Crit.
icsl Notes, is very clear that we are not.
The Hebrew letter rendered ''the" is the same
as that pre6xed to virgin" in Isaiah, vii:
IA, and rendered "a." He insists that as that
designates only one virgin and Is therefore
rendered "a virgin" or certain virgin, so
this designates only one serpent, or certain
serpent. The suggestion is worthy Of earnest
thought, and does not in the least interfere
with our Lords words: .sBe ye therefore
the serpents prudence or care as to getting
into danger. Some points we take to be cer-
tain as to the matter in hand, {. e.:
l. The serpent was only an instrument In
the hands Of an unseen agent.
2. The serpent was specially fitted for the
work in hand. The Hebrew word rendered
serpent, has for its root verb which means
to SC, u i.ise closely, and is also used Of di-
vining or enchanting. See Gen. Xiv: S;
Lev. xix: 26. On the { tber hand, our Eng
lish word. serpent comes from the Latin
verb, to crawl, or creep, or wind.
3. The serpent's position must have been an
upright one, and his habits altogether differ
ent from those which, now mark the race.
Certainly the Judgment pronounced upon 1t
proves this. Upon Thy belly shalt
thou go, and dust shalt thou eat"
etc. Now there would have been no
Judgment here, had this been his condition,
up to the temptation. Now, acting through
creature, so perfectly fitted to his design,
the "Old Serpent, the Devil, 1.-THE murderer
from the beginning" the father Of lies,
moved on the unsuspecting Eve. Clearly,
there was nothing to surprise or alarm here.
Clearly, the conversation had been going
On for some time-for the word rem
d red "Yea +" is never used, in the Hebrew,
at the commencement Of conversation,
but always, like onr, Indeed, CT
Is that sof after some communication going
before it. The question Of the tempter, is
his reply to some words Of Eve, not here re-
corded. 1t assumes surprise on his part. 1t
is so. Can it be, that God has forbidden you
to eat of the Il ee Of the garden! It is NOT
only the suppression OF the true, but the sug-
gestion Of the false, which makes the artfu]
lie. And we have them both here though
the suggestion of the false predominates.
And it is so in every temptation-inasmuch
as true-hearted belief in the word would
deprive the temptation Of all its power.
V. 2, 8. If we adopt the rendering OF the
Revised Version, the tempter says: Hath
God said ye shall not eat Of any tree Of the
garden, instead Of euerg, as in the Author.
lied Version-the answer Of the woman
seems much more pronounced and childIke
in its statement Of the truth. 1t Is simple
statement Of the facts OF the case. For the
addition Of the words, neither shall We touch
it, can scarcely be regarded as indicating @
disposition on her part to show that they
were hardly dealt with, for surely they could
not eat of it without touching it, they had
beenfairly and most generously dealt with.
AH the stores of the garden treTe theirs
They might eat Of every tree-saue one, and
of eating that, the penalty was death. UT
to this point in the narrative, she stood II
the simplicity of the truth. . -.
VAS. And now commenced the real as
sauls Of the willy tempter, and in it two thing
are very clear, 1. G.:
/. The arsolufe denial of the Lord.
,rords "Ye shall not surely diem One Lit.
tie word makes all the difference between
Gods truth and the Devils lie. Andso it has
been all through the ages.
2. The statement Of reasons meant to b.
1lnders ood in one sense, rhile the fact!
.could be in another. Now God did know
all the facts and outcome Of the case. Theil
eyes uould be opened-but not in the senst
in which the tempter knew that Eve would
understand him. Their knowledge wo,Slo
be enlarged, but not as she supposed. Sh,
thought it would be the God-liko attribute
Of discerning between the good and the evil
while he meant that evil would be theirs q!
their abiding portion, and the good as an e1'
perience Of the past, which they wonld nevel
the father of it,"
V. 6. It is worthy Of serious observation
that tho tempter did not urge her to eat oi
the fruit. He simply told his glariDg lie a
truth, and lefit 10 produce its otDn tegiti
results. And we may notice three steps II
the process Of deception,
/. She saw that the fruit was good.
2. 1t was pleasant to the eye, and
8. It seemed to have the properties the
tempter said it had, 1. e., she believed hin
when he said it had. Here was the process!
Of seduction. Sight on the one hand work
ing against faith on thu other. The temp
ters, lie here, Gods truth there, and thai
lie received in the place of that truth
That was all That is all there
ever is. There are opposing pouers in erers
great affairs, or the little, in men, in women
and in children, the process is the same, the
opposing powers are the same, the inStru-
ments are the same, and the result is always
the same, and the result is always on the side
of Gods truth, or Satan's lie. In the case
before us it was soon reached. She took OF
the fruit and ate She gave to her husband.
and he ate also. At once her delusion van.
ished: conscience ,Das born in that hour
for she knew the evil she had done. "TheiI
eyes were opened"-but how differently from
the opening she had looked for. 1t was all
plain now when the irrevocab.e step was
taken.
And God came near in judgment, linked
with a q acious promise, they could not then
well understand There is something very
impressive in the statement. "They heard
the voice Of the Lord God iUdlking in The
oarden in the cool of the day, and they
were afraid" The flush Of first delight over
the eating Of the fruit had passed away, and
they were alone with their conscience and
their sin; and the cool of the day had come,
and God was coming nigh to talk with them,
and for the first time. they 1uere dJruld.
The world within was full of accusing voices,
ard they could not hush them into silence.
Hencef0rth, Paradise was Paradise to them
no more 1t remained tue same. They alone
were changed. land they hid themselves VI
And erer since men haze been doing the
some thing, hiding from God and from
themselves
v. 1913. Without a question as to what
he had done, Judgment was pronounced on
the serpent first. V. IA. The instrument
ofthis great euI must tell of its greatness
to all coming time. For even in the Mil
lennial day, it is written, "and dust shall be
the serpent's meat" Is. lxv.: rs. Then fol.
lows the sentence upon Eve, coupled with
the gracious promise concerning the womans
see'l; and in that on Adam, he is rebuked
for hardening to the voice Of his wife, 1. e.,
for listening to 10 before the Lords COM
mand. 1t then includes two things. t.e.!:
l. The curse on tho ground; and
. His own doom Of labor.
The earth was mafle for man, and there
fore must respond to his condition. Was he
sinless? 1t was glorious IN its gifts. Did he
fall 1t shared his low estate Will he be
sinless agana It shall regain its first con-
ditiun. AID 50. for mans sake the curse